After a nod from Rio, Cecilia moved around to Pilar. “Oh, sweet girl.”
While Cecilia talked to Pilar, Garrett pulled Rio into his arms. He wanted to absorb the scent and feel of his son. The day could have been devastating, but it wasn’t. He was now one step closer to officially being their father. They were his children.
Not that long ago, he thought his plan in life was to build a cabin and live alone. Jake had made a joke about plans that he now understood.
A greater life waited for him, one he hadn’t even known he wanted. Eyes closed, he pressed his lips against the soft curly hair of his son.
When he lifted his head, Anjelica was there, tears in her eyes and joy on her face. “You did it. They’re coming home.”
“I’m so ready to get out of here. We need to celebrate.”
Colleen brought the diaper bag to them. “Congratulations. Some families are just meant to be together.”
“Rio, go with Anjelica. I’ll get your sister.”
After one last kiss from Grandma CeCe, Garrett took Pilar. The urge to squeeze her riveted his muscles. Taking a deep breath, he relaxed his arms. The baby shampoo Anjelica had bought for her smelled of comfort and love. She was his. Oh man. If he didn’t get a grip, he’d be crying in front of people.
His mother held out a cup of coffee. “Here, I know you didn’t want any before the hearing, but you deserve it now.”
“Thanks.”
Diaper bag over his shoulder, his daughter in one arm and coffee in his hand, he followed Anjelica out of the courthouse. A new adventure waited. Now if he could just convince Anjelica to join him, life would be perfect.
A flash of heat rushed his body. A cold sweat covered his skin. Taking a sip of coffee, he mentally grounded himself. Just because life was good didn’t mean something bad was about to happen.
Pilar touched his face with her now-chubby fingers. “Dada.”
Anjelica gasped. “Did she just call you Dada?”
His mother clapped. “She did. Are these her first words?” She pulled her phone out. “Dada. See if you can get her to say it again.”
“Mom, really?”
“Oh, don’t play Mr. Tough Guy. We know you better and I saw you almost tear up. This is big. You will thank me for recording it. She’ll be grown up and having her own family before you know what’s happening.”
“Mom. She’s not even a year yet.”
Pilar patted his face to get his attention. “Dada. Dada.”
Ugh. His mom was right—he wanted to cry. He hated emotion. “I’m right here, baby girl.”
“I can say Daddy, too. I’m a big boy, so I know how to say it right.”
Standing at the car door, Garrett laughed. “Yes, and it takes time to learn how to say words. I remember someone not using his words not that long ago.”
Anjelica opened the door and got Rio in his car seat. “Yep, words have power. We’re proud of both of you.”
“Dada! Dada!” Pilar giggled. “Dada! Dada!” She smiled as everyone told her how smart she was. “Dada!”
His heart officially belonged to her. No one had ever told him how a single word would change his life.
“I think this deserves ice cream. My treat.” His mom climbed into the backseat between the car seats.
He couldn’t help but smile. “Some of my favorite memories were you taking us to get ice cream when we had good grades or you got a new job.”
“I wish I could have done more.”
He gave his mom the best father look he could manage. He’d have to practice. “You raised some pretty good kids, Mom.”
“Yes, I did.”
Closing the door, he pressed all of his weight into his hands. Leaning hard against the car. The smell of rain hung in the air. Fresh and clean, washing away the dust. He had a new plan. Now, how to go about making it happen without messing everything up?
Getting in the car, he was greeted with “Dada! Dada!”
Everyone laughed as Pilar gave him a huge grin, kicking her feet. “Dada! Dada!”
Anjelica winked at him. “I think we might have created a monster.”
“She’s our monster now.”
Chapter Fifteen
Three weeks had passed since the first date with Anjelica. He’d managed to get one more date in and several family excursions.
Garrett heaved a huge sigh of relief in the empty room. All the family noise outside was muffled. The church had been standing-room only for the Easter service, and now it seemed as if everyone had followed them home.
His guess? They picked up a few strays along the way. Anjelica had even invited Cecilia for the festivities, and Pilar’s grandmother brought three of her older grandkids.
When he planned for a family Easter-egg hunt and dinner, he had foolishly imagined her parents and his kids. Maybe a few aunts and uncles and her favorite cousins. A perfect time to propose. But now it was a whole town event.
He hadn’t been near this nervous when he asked Viviana to marry him. Then again, he had been naive and full of the fantasy of marriage.
Harsh reality replaced fantasies. The pendulum swung back. He’d gone from thinking marriage would fix him, to thinking marriage was a death trap, to thinking marriage would fix his children. Now he settled somewhere in the middle.
Taking the ring out of his pocket, he wondered if it was too soon. He was ready to completely commit, but would she believe him?
She had turned him down once for every right reason. His hand shook a little when he placed the ring on the shelf above Steve’s flag and picture.
“Well, I’m gonna try and get it right this time. Any suggestions? You loved the girl she was, and I hope she lets me love the woman she’s become.” Could he compete with a childhood love?
“Garrett?”
He jumped at the sound of his mother’s voice.
“Who are you talking to?”
“Is it weird that I’m talking to her husband?”
She came over and rested her cheek on his upper arm as she looked up at the pictures. “No. You’re both marines. You’ve seen the same things, loved the same girl. You have a great deal in common.” She reached up and kissed him on the cheek. “Oh, Garrett! Is that box what I think it is?”
He nodded. “Somewhere in my addled brain, I thought today would be a great time to ask her. A grand romantic gesture in front of her family. I planned to hide it in an Easter egg with her name on it. Now it sounds lame. What if one of the kids finds it?” He went to the window and peeked through the curtains. The front was packed with cars and trucks. “I also don’t want her to feel trapped. If I ask her in front of everyone...well, that might not end up well.”
He put his left arm around his mother as he ran his other hand through his hair. “I want to make it special. Let her know how important she is to me. I don’t know if this is good enough.” He looked back at the picture. All the memories she must have made with Steve were everywhere. In the house, in town, at the church. How did he even begin to find a place in her life?
“Are you worried you haven’t dated long enough?”
He snorted. “That’s one concern that never occurred to me. I know her. We’ve shared as many breakfasts, lunches and dinners as a married couple. When you pace the floor at three in the morning soothing a sick child together, you know that person in a deeper way than if you’d met for a year’s worth of dates. I know her. But what if she knows me too well? What if I’m not enough for her to get over her fear of how I make a living?”
“Oh, sweetheart, you’re more than enough.”
“You’re my mom. Your opinion doesn’t count.”
“You do what you feel is right, but promise me you won’t let fear be the thing that stops you.” She patted his chest. “Don’t hide in her
e for too long, or Buela will come looking for you. The kids are about to hit the piñata. Anjelica sent me in to get more tea. She said it was on the stove.”
“I’ll help you. Last thing I want is Buela hunting me down.”
They took the fresh-brewed tea to the beverage table, and his mom helped him pour it into a giant orange dispenser. Scanning the backyard, he found Anjelica bouncing Pilar on her hip while she talked to Vickie, the sheriff’s wife.
Her one free hand was waving about as she explained something. Her shoulders were bare except for the straps of the sundress she wore. He liked to think he had helped her feel more confident in some way.
Kids ran around. People talked and laughed. Someone was playing a guitar. A few of the men were stringing up a colorful star piñata, with the ribbon getting tangled in the wind. This was home.
His eyes went back to Anjelica. She was home.
A bump to the shoulder took him out of his own thoughts. Sheriff Torres stood there with a plateful of desserts. “You know you can go talk to her. You don’t have to stare at her like a lovesick boy at a middle-school dance.” He popped a lemon square in his mouth.
Garrett snorted. “I thought you already had dessert.”
With a shrug, he glanced over to his wife and Anjelica. “Have to try everything to make sure no one’s feelings get hurt. It’s a sacrifice, but someone has to make sure it’s done.” He swung his gaze back to Garrett. “Speaking of sacrifice. How’s family life treating you?”
Garrett found Rio running with several children. He laughed as a little mop of a dog jumped after him. Looked like Coach Valdez and his son had been invited, too. “Better than I thought.”
“Yeah, it can take some getting used to. Still having good and bad days with Vickie’s kids living with me.” He laughed. “Vickie assures me it’s normal. I wouldn’t trade it for the world, though. Have you been seeing Reeves like I suggested?”
Nodding, Garrett kept an eye on Rio as the children ran behind the garden and around the Esperanza bush.
“Actually, it’s helped a great deal. Thank you. I feel more grounded than I have since getting back to the States.”
“Yeah, he’s a good guy. Let me know if you need anything. I’m always available. I’m a good wingman, too. Just sayin’. Don’t wait too long. I wasted ten years afraid to just ask.” With a smirk on his face, his gaze darted from Anjelica back to Garrett. Vickie waved at them. “Duty calls. Catch you later.”
“Later.”
Vickie’s daughter ran to Torres and jumped into his arms. Holding the girl, he spoke with the women for a while before taking off on a mission to hang the donkey piñata for the smaller kids.
He could stand here all day and watch Anjelica in action. She brought order to chaos and made it seem easy. Glancing over her shoulder, she caught him staring at her.
Great, he did look like that awkward middle-school kid. With a nod, he turned to take the large pot back to the kitchen.
Today was not the right time. He needed to wait, but the question was when. Rushing something this big was not good. He’d done that with Viviana. But waiting too long could waste time, like Torres said.
What if she found someone else who didn’t carry a gun for a living? Like the coach. With a grunt, he opened the screen door.
Maybe it was a test. If he really loved her, he’d give up law enforcement. He washed the pot and put it away, then stood in the middle of the kitchen.
He couldn’t imagine doing anything else. Rubbing his temple, he took a deep breath. This was too complicated. What was wrong with wanting a simple life? Then again, if he had stayed away from Viviana when he returned home, he wouldn’t have Rio or Pilar. Now he was talking himself in circles. How could you regret a life that also brought you blessings?
Looking into the living room, he saw the ring on the high shelf. He needed to put it away for now.
* * *
Anjelica nodded at something Vickie said, but her attention stayed on the back door. Garrett hadn’t smiled back at her when she caught him staring.
The last two days, he seemed distracted. She bit down on the inside of her cheek. What was wrong, and why was he not talking to her?
“Then a lion jumped from the stage and bit his head off.”
She turned back to Vickie and blinked a couple of times. “What?”
“Oh, that you heard. So where did you go while Pilar and I had a talk?” She smiled at the little girl and tickled her tummy.
Pilar giggled and grabbed Anjelica’s hair and pulled her close, slobbering on her cheek. “Oh, Anjelica. She’s giving you kisses! She looks at you like you’re her mamma.”
Anjelica hugged her close. “Oh, baby girl, I love you, too.” She glanced back at Vickie. “Enough of this mamma talk.”
“Oh, give me a break. You take care of her. You practically live in the same house. You are basically her mamma. The only one she has or knows. The way her daddy has been looking at you, I say he wouldn’t mind her calling you Mamma.”
“We’re just friends.”
Vickie’s eyebrow went high. “Is that what the kids are calling it these days? I thought you had gone on some real dates.”
Shaking her head, she cupped Pilar’s sweet face and kissed her dark curls. “We have, but I just don’t think I can go down that road again.”
“What road is that? Love? I think it might be too late.”
Anjelica shook her head. “I married one man who had a hero complex. I can’t sit at home and wait, praying he comes home.” She looked at Vickie. “How do you not go crazy every time Jake goes to work?”
“First I pray every day to keep him protected.” Vickie tilted her head. “But I don’t get why you compare Steve to Garrett. I remember Steve pushing the edge all the time. He would rush headlong without thinking. Remember the time he jumped from one truck to another while they were going, like, eighty miles an hour? How many cars did he total?” She rolled her eyes. “That boy was downright crazy. I always thought you were the only reason he didn’t get himself killed early on.”
Anjelica blinked to keep tears from falling. Vickie laid a hand on her upper arm.
“I’m sorry. My mouth gets me in trouble all the time. I didn’t mean to upset you. That was just stupid of me.”
“No. I’m okay. I never really thought about it like that before. I loved Steve, but I spent a great deal of time waiting for him to grow up.”
“He was a great kid. Biggest heart in the world, and he loved you. He also liked playing the hero, but not the way Jake and Garrett do. Garrett is smart. Jake’s impressed with him. He considers the situation and takes charge. If that’s the reason you’re not sure, girl, you need to let that go.” She looked back to the porch. “You have a great man there, and if I’m reading it right, he’s in love with you.”
“I don’t know. The last few days he’s been acting weird.”
Vickie snorted. “Yeah! You’re giving the poor guy every mixed message there is. Poor boys. We drive them crazy, but between you and me. I think they kinda like it.” She reached for Pilar. “Let me take this little bit, and you go talk to your man. You’re not wearing your scarves anymore—I’m guessing that has something to do with him. Put all the worries in God’s hands and go.”
Garrett was still in the house. She scanned the yard full of family and friends and realized he was alone inside. Maybe this was too much for him.
She was used to all the people all the time, but he was so private.
“Go. Stop overthinking it and go.” Vickie waved her on.
“Okay, okay.”
With a deep breath, her shoulders back, she walked forward. Why was she so nervous? Silence met her in the kitchen. “Garrett?”
“Anjelica? Do you need something?” His deep voice came from the living room.
He braced his hands on her arms so as not to run her over. “Everyone okay?”
“Yes. I just thought we could talk.”
His eyebrows crunched down. “Now? Don’t you have a few hundred guests outside?”
She bumped her fist against his upper arm. An upper arm that looked really good in the short-sleeved polo he wore. With a sigh, she looked up at his face. “Not that many. Is it making you nervous? I can ask them to leave. We’ve already done the Easter-egg hunt, and everyone’s eaten.”
With a grin on those perfect lips, he stepped back. Well, she couldn’t trust herself to look at his face, either, without getting distracted. She’d always had a thing for jaws. Strong jaws and dimples. Like the long dimple on the side of... Ugh. Focus, Anjelica.
Now he had one eyebrow cocked, waiting for her to speak. Vickie was right. Garrett never rushed anything. Well, other than marriage. He’d rushed it with Viviana and tried with her.
Stepping into him, she cupped his face with her hands. Confusion clouded his expression. New stubble edged his jaw. His eyes searched her face.
Lifting her face, she pressed her lips to his. He closed his eyes. The muscles under her hand relaxed. Slowly, he joined the kiss, following her lead. She moved closer, wanting to sink into him and take him all in, his textures, his scent.
Fingers slid from his jaw to the pulse at the base of his neck.
Placing his hands on the backs of her arms, he pulled back. “Wow.”
She was officially out of her mind. He had to think she was crazy. He was waiting for her to say something, but her brain knocked around her skull without a single idea. “Hi.”
Really? That was all she had.
His lips moved to a wide-open smile. “Hi to you, too.”
“I’ve really enjoyed these last three weeks with the kids.”
“And the kids enjoy being with you.”
She wrapped her arms around her middle and looked to the backyard. She’d never worried about her words with Steve.
The Soldier's Surprise Family Page 18
